Lake Theatre celebrates 75 years with free movie
Monday, April 11 marks the 75th anniversary of the historic Lake Theatre, 1022 Lake St. in downtown Oak Park. To celebrate the milestone event, Classic Cinemas is presenting free screenings of "The Ghost Goes West," the film shown at the Lake on opening day in 1936. There will be two showings on April 11 at 1 and 7 p.m.
Designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the Lake Theatre is a prime example of art deco style. Classic Cinemas purchased the theatre in 1984 and began an ambitious renovation project, always working to maintain the theatre's unique design and architecture. Decorative elements from theatres that no longer exist were incorporated into the renovation as well. This attention to historic detail has been recognized with awards from several organizations including the Chicago Art Deco Society and has made the Lake Theatre one of Oak Park's architectural treasures. The Lake Theatre today offers first-run movies with a state-of-the art sound and picture presentation in seven auditoriums, including two equipped with Digital 3-D.
"The Ghost Goes West," starring Robert Donat, is a comedy about an American businessman who buys a Scottish castle, dismantles it, and ships it to America where it will be reassembled. The castle, however, is not the only part of the deal, as it comes with the ghost who has been haunting it for several hundred years.
The anniversary celebration will continue through the year. On Saturday, April 16, the theatre will offer a rare opportunity to tour the projection booth from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All are welcome!
And, a classic film will be presented on the second Monday of every month at 1 and 7 p.m. Please visit www.classiccinemas.com for movie titles as they become available.
Classic Cinemas, based in Downers Grove, is a family-owned company operated by Willis, Shirley and Chris Johnson. Established in 1978, Classic Cinemas operates 13 theatres with 99 screens in the northern Illinois area. For more information on Classic Cinemas, please visit www.classiccinemas.com.